Author's note: Sorry it took me so long to update but as you see I finally managed to put the 14th chapter together. The 15th is already on paper but needs to be typed and betaed. Enjoy! And thanks to Rose for betaing this one.

LuSo: Where are you?

Chapter 14

When Charlotte yelled for her mom and dad they both followed her quickly outside. They swam, laughed and had a really nice picnic.

Relaxing on the dock while their little girl played in a spot where she could be securely watched Sam cuddled with Jack.

"You know at some point we'll have to get up and bring the car back to Al and Nan?" she smiled into his shoulder.

"You already called them and made a date, didn't you?"

"Yep. When you were in the shower." she admitted.

"When and where else are we going?" he nudged her head with his.

"We're supposed to meet them around five. What time is it anyway?"

He shrugged.

"Charlotte?" she looked at them. "Can you get mommy's watch from the kitchen counter?" he asked which made the little girl getting up and leaving her playing spot to get the item in question.

Just seconds later she reappeared carrying the watch.

"Thank you, sweetheart." Sam hugged her.

"And?" Jack asked impatiently.

"It's already 4." she sighed. "I guess the quiet time is over." she gave him a quick peck on the cheek and got up.

"Mommy? Where going?"

"Getting dressed, honey. Where're leaving for Al and Nan soon." Sam smiled.

"And Donald?" the little one's eyes sparkled.

"Come on sweetheart. The sooner you get dressed the sooner we can leave." Jack said from behind her. But before he had even finished his sentence Charlotte raced inside. He throw a questioning look in Sam's direction, who just shrugged and followed her daughter.

"Wanna wear the pretty dress daddy bought you yesterday?"

Charlotte squealed and chased into her room to take the item in question from her drawer and bring it back to her mommy who was already in the bathroom.

"Slow down honey...I want you to shower first, got me?"

The little girl's smile faded.

"All clean mommy. Me pond, remember?"

"So mommy has to wash her hair all by herself?"

And Sam had immediately taken a point there, she knew how much Charlotte liked to wash her mommy's hair and before another thought crossed her mind the two year old had already taken off her clothes and jumped under the spray.

"Mommy come!" she tugged at Sam's arm. "Wash hair."

Sam smiled and joint her daughter who immediately started to play with the soap and water.

They took turns washing each other's hair and while Sam was still trying to rinse the shampoo from Charlotte's ringlets the little one tried to get out the shower.

"Mommy." she whined.

"All clean. Want go Donald now." and with that she wriggles free from her mom's light grip and left the shower.

Just seconds later Sam snickered when she heard Jack say:

"Hey get yourself a towel would you, baby?"

Had had bumped into his little girl when she left the bathroom, dripping wet. Charlotte just giggled and made her way into her room.

When the three of them where finally dressed and ready to go they took both cars and went to see the Robertsons. Once there and unbuckled Charlotte jumped out of the car and left in search for Donald.

"Honey, don't get all messy and please don't go too far. We're going to leave soon!" Sam shouted seeing her daughter disappearing into the house. Charlotte stopped in track and peaked back through the open door.

"No leave." she stated matter-of- factly, stomped her little food and rushed back inside.

Jack and Sam greeted the Robertsons who were stunned what they had just witnessed. They hadn't heard Sam telling Charlotte the things she had and just saw the little girl leaving grumpily.

"She disagrees and don't want to leave for dinner." Sam told Nan while the men decided to go after the two-year old.

They found her sitting on the porch, huddling Donald, whispering into his furry ears, rocking him back and forth.

"Hey little one, what was that about?" Jack asked gently when he sat down next to her ignoring the pain in his protesting knees.

"Me no leave, daddy." she drew Donald closer and gave him her all-O'Neill-puppy-dog-eyes.

"We want to go out for dinner with Al and Nan, honey."

"Me stay Donald." she insisted.

"You want to stay behind while Mommy and Daddy have dinner with Nan and I?" Charlotte gave him a questioning look, they wouldn't be going without her, would they? But then Al addressed Jack nonchalantly.

"You know, I thought we may go to the restaurant you loved so much when you were little, Jack."

"I didn't know it still existed. Thought they closed it years ago."

Charlotte followed their conversation closely. What were they talking about? Was there something special about that place? Her curiosity was getting the better of her now, but what about Donald? She'd promised she'd stay with him. He'd be sooo disappointed when she let him down now.

"The reopened and it's just as great as before." Al smiled.

"Wanna see that place honey?" Jack addressed his daughter, hoping he wouldn't have to drag her to the restaurant but that she'd come on her own.

"Donald, too?" she questioned. If she couldn't stay maybe he was allowed to come with them.

"He probably won't like it there honey. There's lots of people around and he might get frightened. We should leave him home so he can get some more sleep." Al answered.

"But me promise." she looked at her daddy, maybe he would made up his mind but instead he said.

"He won't mind." he assured her and held out his hand. With one last sceptical look she put the puppy down and took the offered hand.

Surrounded by people Charlotte was her cheerful little self, chatting with Al and Nan about her favourite colour and everything else she could think of. While the older couple was busy entertaining the little girl Sam and Jack wandered around the restaurant's corridors. When she looked into the deep blue of the water behind the huge glass Sam immediately knew why Jack loved the place so much. All those colourful fish who chased each other through the cool water, the semi-dark atmosphere...

She sighed when another thought crossed her mind. If she liked it or not she couldn't stay here forever. Couldn't stay hidden in the cabin with Jack and Charlotte for the rest of her life. Her life went on and so was everybody else's also Jacks. She didn't knew how long he had planed to stay at his cabin before she showed up and she certainly didn't know what he was thinking about his stay there now. What would she be doing once Jack's downtime was over? She didn't want him to leave and she didn't know if it was a good idea to follow him back to the Springs but above all she was worried maybe a little afraid of her friends' reactions. She had cut all the bonds two years ago...

Still thinking she felt a hand squeezing her own and when she gazed up she looked into the most beautiful chocolate-brown eyes besides her daughter's. And in that brown depth she could see everything she needed to know. They'd figure it out and they'd be together forever. Sam smiled.

"Now that's what I wanna see." he kissed her forehead. " That's to beautiful a place to worry about anything"

He drew he close and yet another sigh escaped her lips.

"It's just..." but she was silenced with a deep, passionate kiss before she could voice her thought. When they eventually came up for air every worry was forgotten and just one fact remained chasing through her: how much she loved Jack O'Neill.

Author's note2: Let me know what you think! Please!